


Don't Be Scared

by aiIenzo



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-04
Updated: 2013-11-04
Packaged: 2017-12-31 12:59:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,039
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1031977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aiIenzo/pseuds/aiIenzo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Michael, I think… I think my suit lost too much oxygen. I’m getting warning readings everywhere." <br/>A short thing where Michael speaks to Gavin as he dies on the moon. (Inspired by Galacticraft Part 2)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Don't Be Scared

"Michael…"

Michael ignored Ryan. He blocked him out, a white noise to mirror the static of the radio that was gripped in his hand tightly, his knuckles turning white with the pressure and desperation. It was his connection to Gavin, his one connection, if he could only figure out how to pull him back through the radio somehow, back to safety. The room around him was silent. Terror was present.

"Michael, his readings…"

Michael gritted his teeth, but Ryan was still coming through. He could hear Gavin’s ragged breathing over the radio as he tried to patch up the small hole he had gotten in his suit after his disastrous landing. A pinprick, really, but large enough to drop Gavin’s oxygen levels, and when the lights on their monitors had began to blink a horrible, blood red, Ryan’s eyes had widened with fear.

Michael moved his eyes from the floor beneath him to the wall, where Gavin’s readings were being transmitted. He looked past Ryan and turned the blurred lines into legible numbers, blinking over and over, trying to make sense of the catastrophe in front of him. Every muscle in his body tightened, his breath was sucked from his lungs as he trembled, white hovering on the edges of his eyesight and threatening to knock him out.

**Oxygen level: 12%**

He looked around desperately, praying for guidance. Ray was pressed into the corner, his eyes blank and staring. Geoff was running a hand through his hair, frantically checking their own equipment to distract himself as his eyes watered. Jack was focused on the monitors, his face hidden, body unmoving. Ryan, though, met Michael’s eyes, but there was no hope, there was no promises. There was only fear and understanding.

"Ryan, will he…?"

But Michael’s voice caught, and he heard Ray choking back his own sob.

Ryan shook his head.

The world seemed to vanish, the only thing he could hear was the beeping on the wall next to him, and the sleek static over the radio still clenched in his hands. In one moment, he realized Gavin was going to die, and he had never done enough. He should have held him a little tighter, he should have met him earlier, he should have trusted the twisting in his gut when he had said goodbye.

"Michael?"

He jumped as the radio cackled, and he instantly fumbled for the button, afraid of missing even a second of Gavin’s voice.

"Gavin, I’m here."

His words were calm, but the ache inside of him was falling and crashing, making his body tremble as he tried to steady his breathing.

"Michael, I think… I think my suit lost too much oxygen. I’m getting warning readings everywhere."

Geoff broke, muttering a string of curses before burying his face in his hands, his body shaking violently as he cried. Michael was lost. This wasn’t happening. His heart was in his throat and he couldn’t breathe.

"Yeah, we…we can see them here too, Gav."

There was a broken silence, heavy and dark, interrupted only by the flashing of Gavin’s status blinking across the screen.

**Oxygen level: 9%**

"Michael," Gavin breathed, and it was light, quick airy breaths that he had to look to find. "Am I going to die?"

Michael pressed the radio against his forehead as he forced his eyes shut, streams of tears finally beginning to fall. Jack was there to catch Geoff before he fell, silent sobs going unnoticed by Ray’s quiet shock as he curled into himself only a few feet away. His eyes were deadened, the light had gone out. Ryan placed a hand on Michael’s shoulder, and Michael found his strength long enough to whisper back.

"Gavin, it’s… it’ll be okay."

But Gavin heard the shatter in his voice, and Michael knew he could feel the air getting lighter around him, a definite sign that Michael was lying.

**Oxygen level: 7%**

"Michael. I’m scared."

So very far away, Gavin pressed himself against the remains of his shuttle, staring up at the earth so distant from him, and realized that he was going to die. He reached out and tried to touch the world, so vibrant and promising above him, but his hands swallowed nothing but emptiness, and his heart was cracking.

But Michael’s voice was soft and it carried through the vast, reaching Gavin before he had broken completely.

"Don’t be."

And Gavin shut his eyes, the ghost of a smile crossing his face. His heartbeat slowed, and the cracks remained sturdy. He was going to die, but he wouldn’t die alone.

**Oxygen level: 5%**

Tears were falling from Michael’s face, dripping from his chin and onto his lap as he stared at the radio, cradling it, terrified of losing the only thing he had left. His mind flashed, beginnings of hopeless ideas that crashed and were rewound before they could reach fruition. There was nothing Michael could do but keep Gavin calm as he died, and the thought overwhelmed him.

"Michael…"

"Gavin, it’s okay," Michael whispered softly, his voice carrying perfectly through Gavin’s helmet and into the empty void of space. "Don’t be scared, Gavin. I’m right here."

"Don’t leave me, Michael."

"I’d never leave you," Michael swallowed, shutting his eyes. Gavin’s head was dancing with memories, letting Michael’s voice wash over him as he struggled to take in air. It was hard, he couldn’t breath, but he imagined Michael was there next to him, that the voice around him was real, not a transmission. The lack of oxygen was making the visions in his head so alive, so beautiful. He smiled. It was alright.

**Oxygen level: 3%**

"I’m right here, Gavin. I’m right here. Don’t be afraid."

Michael repeated his words, unable to focus on anything else without breaking. He could hear Gavin struggling to breathe but kept his voice strong, soothing, a soft and peaceful lullaby that he pulled from deep within him, never letting his mind drift to the realization that he was listening to his best friend die. He was strong.

But when the wall behind him began a furious outcry, beeping and alerting them of the life having left Gavin’s body, Michael couldn’t handle anymore.

And he bent his head and wept.


End file.
